“Do you not know the sound? did you never hear it?”
“What is it?”
“A bloodhound! In ten minutes he will gallop across this very spot!”
She turned deadly pale. He caught her by her arm.
“Come!” he cried, hoarsely. “For God’s sake fly, else we are lost!”
They plunged into the dense forest, impeded by fallen logs obstructing their course; by matted grape-vines, an impenetrable barrier; by bogs, about which they were forced to circuit; by dense thickets and brambles which threatened their every step; and still behind swelled out the bay of the bloodhound—“Hong—hong!”
CHAPTER XI.
A SUDDEN MEETING.
Three hours after they had left the island, the settlers found themselves on the main-land, with Shadow Lake between them and their homes. Walter had been absent for some time and they began to feel anxious about him. He had started off on a wild and perhaps dangerous errand—that of ferreting out the strange intruder, the owner of the mysterious voice.
He had now been gone several hours, and they were alarmed, for they thought the robbers were prowling about the forest, and he might fall in with them. Sol, having a high regard for him, and not wishing to have evil befall him, called Eben aside: